2000-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The Council on Aging met monthly on the sec- grams and services provided to seniors by both the and Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m., usually in the Council on Aging and the community. Thanks also to Senior Center. From time to time, residents from the Bill for his general assistance and attention to the Town attended the meeting. The meeting was and is needs of Mashpee seniors. open to the public. Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands con- The Council on Aging continued to advise the tinued to operate a nutrition site at the Senior Center town fathers regarding senior issues. Two items of which provided meals both onsite and home delivered. great interest to the selectmen in 2000 were the town Mrs. Bonnie Oehme, a Mashpee resident, leads the census numbers indicating a doubling of the number Nutrition Site. During the year Elder Services of Cape of seniors in the town from 1,500 in 1990 to 3,100+in Cod & the Islands changed food vendors and signifi- the year 2000. Along with this information and aware cantly improved the meal service. Our thanks also to of the future growth curve of seniors in both the town those local vendors;mainly Stop+Shop and Star,who and across the state, the Council on Aging has been make a variety of donations of foodstuffs to the nutri- active in advising the town of the need for expanded tion site for distribution to the seniors in our commu- town facilities for seniors by participating in the nity. Also, our kudos to the many volunteers through- Capital Improvement Program and proposing a Space out the town who assist at the Nutrition Site by deliv- Needs Study. ering meals through the MEALS ON WHEELS pro- gram, a service to those seniors who are shut in and During the year,the Council on Aging sponsored also to those volunteers who donate their time prepar- a variety of health screening and health maintenance ing and serving the Congregate meals offered each programs in conjunction with local agencies. Blood weekday lunchtime at the Senior Center. pressure screenings and weights were offered each month through an arrangement with the Visiting Nurse In 2000 the Friends of Mashpee Council on Association of Upper Cape Cod & the Islands, Aging underwent a change in leadership. President Mashpee Fire Department, and Olsten Healthcare. Betty Nichols who served so admirably in her role in Along with these screenings were a variety of presen- the last two years and was responsible for many tations of health topics important to the senior com- improvements in the Thrift Shop operation including a munity such as osteoporosis, senile dementia, pros- remodeling of the interior and the building of a storage trate and nutrition topics. Long lines of seniors sur- room adjacent to the original thrift shop resigned her rounded the senior center in early November for flu position Betty remains a "Friend". We were fortunate shots provided through the VNA, an important part of and delighted, however, by the willingness of Merton the preventative approach of the VNA, Mashpee Sapers to take over the reins and provide continuity of Board of Health and the Council on Aging. In addi- leadership. The Friends continued their impressive ! tion, mammography screenings were provided by a support of the programs and activities of the Council mobile mammography unit in June. on Aging and continued their valuable community ser- vice by operating the Thrift Shop which provides for Some accomplishments of note at the Carol H. clothing and other needs of many of our townspeople. Jacobson Center during the year were: the installation We acknowledge the dedication and generosity of the of MICROMAX, a computer program which allows Friends and thank them for their many volunteer hours rus to calculate benefits that might be available to and many contributions. 1 seniors from various state, federal and local agencies: the networking of the primary computers at the Senior The Council on Aging through the Carol H. Center allowing them to"talk to each other";the addi- Jacobson Senior Center promotes a number of tion of a storage building to the Thrift Shop;expansion Volunteer opportunities both at the Senior Center and of SHINE counseling staff; the establishment of a throughout Town. Volunteers number in excess of 200 Weight Training program; the hiring of a Senior Clerk citizens. They bring diverse skills,talents and abilities I and the upgrading of computer CPU's throughout all and happily share their energy and time with their r offices. neighbors and friends. Among the many ways they S share their gifts are Friendly Visiting, Respite i d Mrs. Lynne Waterman continued her outreach to Program, Nutrition Site, Meals on Wheels; the Senior Community providing a variety of informa- Transportation,Senior Dimension Mailing,Telefriend, a tion and referral services both direct and through Social Committee, Vial of Life, Senior Interviews, s matching with third party agencies.Thanks also to Mr. Senior Center Clerical Tasks, Crafts, Art Lessons, k William McReynolds (Elder Service Corp. Volunteer) Receptionists, School Volunteer, Mobile Library j k who meets and greets all of our newly enrolled Seniors Services, Thirft Shop, SHINE Counseling, Food through the newcomers program which provides Stamps,Exercise Program,Weight Training, Chamber newly arrived seniors with an orientation to the pro- of Commerce, Senior Singers, Crafts Group, Fuel i 139